Keyboard instrument.



A. RADOVANOVIG.

KEYBOARD INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18, 1911.

Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

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A. RADOVANOVIG.

KEYBOARD INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18, 1911.

Patented Ja11.28, 1913.

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A. RADOVANOVIG.

KEYBOARD INSTRUMENT.

AIPPLIOATION FILED $EPT.18, 1911.

1,051,514. Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

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ANDREAS RADOVANOVIC, OF ZT IRICI-I, SWITZERLAND.

KEYBOARD INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

Application filed September 18, 1911. Serial No. 649,982.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREAS RADOVAN OVIO, a citizen of the Republic of Switzerland, residing at Freiestrasse 166, Zurich, Switzerland, have invented new and useful Improvements Relating to Keyboard Instruments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of 'he invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a device for transmitting the pressure exerted on the keys of a harmonium to a piano. According to this invention the keys of the harmonium are so connected to the keys of the piano, that the latter can be played by means of the key-board of the harmonium.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section through a harmonium and a piano connected to each other by a device according to this invent-ion. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same, Figs. 8-7 show different forms of constructions of the de vice.

K is the piano in front of which the harmonium II is arranged like a pianola, T and T being the keys of the harmonium and the piano. A lever A is provided for each key. The levers are mounted to rock about pins B which are secured to a rail C extending all over the key-board. The rail C can be turned around the axle D by means of the register button R. The left hand ends of the levers A are supported on the keys T of the harmonium, while the right ends engage the keys T of the piano. By moving the keys of the harmonium downward the left 'ends of the levers A are raised and the right ends lowered the corresponding keys of the piano being played hereby.

For disconnecting the two instruments the rail C is turned by means of the register button, the lever B, and the pin It engaging in a slotted guide so that the pins 13 are raised and the levers A lifted from the keys of the piano.

The Figs. 35 show another form of construction for lifting the levers A from the keys. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the device, Fig. 4 a view seen in the direction of the arrow 2 of Fig. 3, parts being. omitted, and Fig. 5 a partial plan view of the same. The pins B, on which the levers A rock, are arranged in two sets on guide blocks or rails E E which are vertically slidable in a stationary frame S. Independentwertical movement is imparted to said blocks by means of horizontally movable wedge blocks K K each of which latter has a straight upper edge slidably connected to the straight top of the frame S and an inclined bottom edge which is slidably connected to the upper edge of one of the guide blocks, the upper edges of the latter being inclined parallel to the lower edges of the wedge blocks. In the drawings the guides E E are shown in their highest position and the levers A are lifted from the piano keys. If the wedges K K are displaced in the direction of the arrow so (Fig. 4:), by means of a lever P and a pin P (Fig. 5) for instance, the guides E E are moved downward in the direction of the arrow y and the levers A are moved hereby toward the keys of the piano. In the form of construction illustrated by Figs. 35 two guides E E with corresponding wedges K K are provided, viz. always one for the bass and one for the treble, as usually the key-board of harmoniums is divided. Thus it is possible to connect the harmonium to the piano either only at the bass or only at the treble or at both parts.

In the form of construction shown in Fig. 6 the keys T and levers A are connected to each other by links M, while in the form of construction of Fig. 7 the levers A act on the key T of the piano by means of rods N guided in a frame 0. In the form of construction of Fig. 8 the keys T act on the levers A by means of levers F.

The keys of the harmonium (Fig. 1) actuate the valves of the pipes in the usual manned by means of rods Q. In the form of construction of Fig. 7 a proper key-board is arranged for the connection of the piano to the harmonium. The piano is played by the key-board T and the harmonium separately by the key-board T.

The pressure exerted on the keys of the harmonium may be transmitted to the keys of the piano by any suitable mechanic, pneumatic or electric device. The engaging and disengaging of these devices may be performed in any suitable way by means oi the register buttons in the keyboard or by means of kneeor hook-registers. These devices can be applied to all kinds of instruments which are provided with pipes, as harmonium and organs, and which may be acted by pressure or suction.

What I claim as new. and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

l. A harmonium having an attachment for transmitting pressure from the keys of the harmonium to a piano keyboard, comprising pivoted levers attached to the harmonium and having arms arranged for action on the keys of a juxtaposed piano and the other arms of said levers arranged to be operated from the keys of the harmonium.

2. A harmonium having an attachment for transmitting pressure from the keys of the harmonium to a piano keyboard, comprising pivoted levers attached to the harmonium and having arms projecting therefrom and arranged for action on the keys of a juxtaposed piano, the keys of the harmonium extending under the other arms of said levers to actuate the latter.

3. A harmonium having an attachment for transmitting pressure from the keys of the harmonium to a piano keyboard, comprising two sets of levers attached to the harmonium, each lever having one arm extending outside the harmonium and the other arm arranged to be operated from a key of the harmonium, and means to raise and lower each set of levers independently of the other into and out of operative relation to the keys of the harmonium and piano.

4. A harmonium having an attachment for transmitting pressure from the keys of the harmonium to a piano keyboard, comprising a rail mounted in the harmonium, levers pivotally mounted in the rail each having an arm projecting from the case of the harmonium and arranged for action on keys of a piano placed behind the latter, the keys of the harmonium extending under the other arms of said levers to actuate the latter.

5. A harmonium having an attachment for transmitting pressure from the keys of the harmonium to a piano keyboard, comprising a rail for the bass and a rail for the treble, mounted in the harmonium, levers pivotally mounted. in the rails each having an arm projecting from the case of the harmonium and arranged for action on keys of a piano placed behind the latter, the keys of the harmonium extending under the other arms of said levers to actuate the latter.

6. A harmonium having an attachment for transmitting pressure from the keys of the harmonium to a piano keyboard, comprising a frame mounted in the harmonium, horizontally movable wedges mounted in the frame, vertically movable guides mounted in the latter actuated by the wedges, doublearmed levers pivotally mounted in the guides and having arms extending from the case of the harmonium and arranged for action on keys of a piano placed behind the latter, the keys of the harmonium extending under the other arms of the levers to actuate the latter.

7. In a device for transmitting pressure from the pivoted keys of one musical key instrument to the keys of another musical key instrument, the combination with the pivoted keys of the first instrument, of lever mechanisms mounted in the latter in operative relation to the pivoted keys, said lever mechanisms arranged to project over keys of the second instrument to depress said keys of the latter, whereby both instruments may be played simultaneously by actuating the keys of the first instrument.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ERNST FISCHER, AUGUST Renee.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

